British military spearheads new warfare era with university drone degree

The British Army in partnership with the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) is launching a new drone degree to train the next generation of engineers who can design, build and operate the technology.

On January 21, 2026, the UK’s Ministry of Defense said that a response was needed to prepare for a new era of warfare after the conflict in Ukraine highlighted the growing threat posed by uncrewed devices.

The British Army has invested $336,000 (£250,000) in the Autonomous Systems degree and will deliver the three-year course to train 15 civilian students and up to five soldiers each year as drone technology specialists.

NMITE explained that the new undergraduate degree will also lead to a Masters in Engineering (MEng) in three years, rather than the normal four years and will prepare students to be broadly trained, highly effective engineers with a specialised focus on drone technologies.

“In Ukraine, drones are causing more casualties than artillery – that’s the reality of modern warfare. This degree gives young engineers a fast track to careers at the cutting edge, protecting Britain and powering growth in places like Hereford,” said Al Carns, Minister for the Armed Forces.

British Army He added: “These graduates will strengthen our Armed Forces and help push forward advances in civilian and commercial drone technology, developing homegrown talent, building British capabilities, from battlefield to business.”

The Armed Forces Bill was recently introduced to strengthen the UK’s ability to tackle drone threats and ensure defense personnel can better deter, detect and defeat drone incursions.

Under the UK’s Strategic Defense Review the goal is to ensure that the British Army is “ten times more lethal through AI, drones and autonomous systems”.

“By building a pipeline of homegrown talent with specialist STEM skills, Defense is addressing critical workforce gaps while positioning the UK at the forefront of next-generation military capability,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense.

Students on the course will also learn about the dual-use potential of drone technologies and will be equipped to drive innovation for civilian, commercial, and humanitarian applications as well as defense.

“This degree reflects the scale of the opportunity in front of us – to equip the next generation of engineers with skills that matter now, and to quickly deliver positive impacts in terms of skills, defense and a security capability and regional growth,” said James Newby, CEO of NMITE.

Expressions of interest are now open for the course starting in September 2026, and those interested can register for updates here.

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